Month: July 2006

Ringwood Chamber of Commerce AGM

Posted on by alex

Tonight the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce held its Annual General Meeting, where the existing committee was returned.

With significant changes expected for Ringwood within the next few years and beyond it is imperative that there is a strong proactive Chamber of Commerce to ensure that Ringwood strives forward.

A complementary retail mix of shops along Maroondah Highway is one area where a strong Ringwood Chamber of Commerce should work cooperatively with Maroondah City Council to ensure the revitalisation of Ringwood’s main street.

As the ward councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward, which encompasses much of Ringwood’s ‘main street’, I will be approaching the Ringwood Chamber to discuss a vision for this area.

The commercial success of Ringwood is essential to ensuring the realisation of transforming Ringwood into a vibrant centre for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. 

For more information on the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce please visit www.ringwoodchamber.com.au.

Friends of Kolkata

Posted on by alex

The Friends of Kolkata is a non-profit organisation that coordinates welfare, education projects and volunteer opportunities in partnership with two non-government organisations (including the Centre for Communication and Development) in Kolkata (Calcutta) in India.

For the past thirty years the Centre for Communication and Development (CCD) is a non-profit organisation based in northern Kolkata which aims to protect children in and around the Indian state of West Bengal.  The CCD provides shelter for forced into exploitative labour and by rescuing children from human trafficking.

In recognition of the support provided by McAdams Square (Plymouth Road Croydon) the Friends of Kolkata organised a public talk on building local communities by Swapan Mukherjee who discussed his experiences in working with communities in northern Kolkata.

Swapan Mukherjee has managed the Centre for Communication and Development (CCD) since its inception and has a Masters in Social Work from Calcutta University.  Swapan has has developed a specialized understanding of the local, national and international issues that perpetuate the exploitation of children in the South Asian region.

Accompanying Swapan was Amitava Sanyal, a senior executive at the CCD who has experience with a non-government organisations in Kolkata. Amitava is a professor in sociology and has experience with the Red Cross, the Tata Institute and Bandhan, one of India's leading micro-finance organisations.

The CCD is currently planning to establish a community school to provide educational opportunities for children within Kolkata. Education provides a sustainable chance to escape the poverty that exists within rural India and as such CCD is currently appealing for funds to build and maintain a school that would provide this opportunity.

For more information on this worthy cause please visit www.friendsofkolkata.org.

Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC) Launch

Posted on by alex

The Eastern Transport Coalition (ETC), formerly the Eastern Region Integrated Transport Group, is a coalition of seven outer eastern councils including the Cities of Maroondah, Whitehorse, Manningham, Knox, Monash, Greater Dandenong and the Shire of Yarra Ranges.

Collectively the Eastern Transport Coalition represents almost one million residents and contains a number of major commercial precincts. Despite represents a population the size of Adelaide the eastern region has been the site of continued public transport neglect.

The Mission Statement is as follows: The Eastern Transport Coalition will advocate for sustainable and integrated transport services in the Eastern region of Melbourne which focus on the travel needs of the community and reduce the level of car dependencyThe Eastern Transport Coalition, of which I am the Maroondah representative, announced its launch at the Box Hill Tram Terminus amid its public call to secure the improvements to public transport that are required to ensure the environmental, social and economic success of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.

Cr. Mick Van de Vreede from Knox City Council, who has a strong background of public transport advocacy, is the current chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition.

The State Government’s recently announced Transport and Liveability Statements falls far short of what is required for Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. The Eastern Transport Coalition will ensure that improvements are realised as it holds the government accountable in the implementation of the statement.

The Age: Time to tackle weekend road congestion

Posted on by alex

Today’s Age featured a story on increased weekend road congestion amid the State Government’s failure to provide improved public transport services on weekends.

Weekend public transport services must be increased. Work, sport, shopping and entertainment now occur around the clock and the artificial divide between Friday and Saturday for public transport services is no longer viable.

While The State Opposition stated it would consider upgraded public transport services on the weekends. The State Government has again ignored the problem completely:

Victorian Opposition transport spokesman Terry Mulder backed the call for more weekend public transport, saying the State Government was operating a "1950s-style public transport system catering to nine-to-five workers".

A future Liberal state government would consider upgrading weekend public transport for Melbourne, Mr Mulder said.

The State Government said it had last year introduced the Sunday $2.50 saver ticket to encourage public transport use.

With two-thirds of Melbourne lacking Sunday public transport services, the discounted Sunday travel benefits the inner city residents with ready access to public transport while sacrificing Melbourne’s outer suburbs to weekend car dependence.Action and not tokenistic gestures is required to reduce weekend traffic congestion.

Eastern Suburbs Group of the Order of Australia and National Boys Choir

Posted on by alex

Today I had the privilege of attending the first meeting of the eastern suburbs group of the Order of Australia.  

The Order of Australia dates back to 1975 for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service (source: Wikipedia).  

The group provides an eastern Melbourne focus for the Order of Australia Association and its first meeting was held at the studio of the National Boys Choir located in Ringwood in recognition of dedication provided by two recipients of the Order of Australia.  

The meeting provided the unique opportunity to view a rehearsal of the National Boys Choir and experience another example of Maroondah’s arts culture. The National Boys Choir featured in the Qantas ‘I still call Australia home’ advertising campaign and will be performing their mid-year concert at the Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University on the 22nd of July.

For information on the National Boys Choir please visit www.nationalboyschoir.com.au.

Army Cadets: East Ringwood (31ACU)

Posted on by alex

Maroondah has a number of youth organisations and tonight I visited the 31st Army Cadet Unit based at the Army Depot in East Ringwood. Two army cadets from the 31st unit received awards at the 2006 Maroondah Youth Volunteer Recognition Evening and an invitation was extended so I could see the army cadets parade on Thursday evening.
With 40% of army recruits originating from the cadets, the army cadets, alongside the air force and naval cadets also provides the backbone for a career within the military.

The army cadets provides an opportunity for young people aged from 12 to 18 to become involved with an organisation that provides training in first aid and military skills, such as radio procedures, navigation and survival techniques within a framework that reinforces achievement, discipline and good citizenship. The cadets are managed by adult volunteers and are financially and operationally independent from the armed forces, meaning that fundraisers are often used to raise money required for equipment and activities.

The 31st Army Cadet Unit provides a significant community service to Maroondah including involvement within the Anzac Day Services and the Maroondah Festival and as such provides an invaluable service to the community.

Presentation: Public Transport in Melbourne's South East

Posted on by alex

Tonight’s Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) South East Branch meeting featured a presentation delivered to councillors from the City of Greater Dandenong and candidates for the upcoming State Election.

The presentation, which was delivered in my capacity as spokesman and founder of the PTUA South East Branch, was created to demonstrate the need for institutional reform within the current government bureaucracy.

The current departmental framework provides little integration between planning and transport with allows VicRoads to dominate the transport debate with its own budgetary allocation and lobbying efforts.

With ever increasing petrol prices there is an urgent need for public transport improvements to prevent the worsening financial pressures of car ownership. Discretionary expenditure such as household expenditure on restaurants and entertainment is already being diminished due to increasing financial hardship caused by rising petrol prices.

Continue reading “Presentation: Public Transport in Melbourne's South East”

Maroondah Journal: Station 'a blueprint for safety'

Posted on by alex

With the announcement of State Government funding for the completion of detailed design options for Ringwood Station there is increasing expectation that the redevelopment of Ringwood Station will be completed by the end of 2008.

It is critical however that Ringwood Station is redeveloped into a safe and user-friendly transport interchange, which provides for easy and accessible integration between bus and train services.

The Maroondah Journal reported on the announcement:

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Alex Makin said the most important aspect should be improving bus and train accessibility and pedestrian access across the Maroondah Highway.

“People with mobility problems have great difficulty getting across the road in the time provided.”

Pedestrian access between Ringwood Station and the retail frontage across Maroondah Highway must be improved in order for Ringwood to become a pedestrian friendly centre.

NAIDOC Week: Acknowledgement of Country

Posted on by alex

The National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week is being observed from the 2nd to 9th July.

NAIDOC week celebrates the survival of Indigenous culture and the Indigenous contribution to modern Australia and at tonight’s council meeting I had the opportunity to present the following Acknowledgement of Country which is used to recognise and respect the traditional owners of our land:

In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.

We, Maroondah City Council, accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome. The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.

For more information on NAIDOC including possible ways to celebrate the week please visit www.naidoc.org.au.